Where were you this time last year?

Where were you this time last year? If I was asked that question based solely on memory, I’d struggle to remember. One of the downsides of being a travel writer (and there aren’t many) is that I travel so often that it’s almost routine. That means that although I’ve enjoyed pretty much everywhere I’ve visited, it takes something extra special for it to stick in my mind. If not, then I have my trusty notebook, tens of thousands of photographs and a back catalogue of articles to refer to.

This spring, for a time at least, I didn’t even want to look back. Knowing that there were so many places I still wanted to visit with the world pretty much closed to travel made it just too upsetting to even think about. Like many of us, I turned to my local area, walking some of the coastal and riverside paths that we have in abundance. Once it was permitted, I squeezed in trips to Iceland and Madeira before autumn brought Lockdown 2.

Restrictions this time have been a little different. Much more is open, a vaccine’s looking likely and there’s a gradual stream of messages in my inbox from past clients looking to restart blogs, revamp online content and send out newsletters to their customers to let them know they’re planning to open for business again. The situation’s far from normal, whether measured in terms of confidence or volume of work, but there’s hope that 2021 might not be quite so awful for travel as 2020 has been.

Within that context, I’ve not felt as despondent looking back at past travels. I’ve spent many hours trawling through unsorted photographs to create photobooks of Cuba, Madeira and The Faroes. I’ve allowed myself to reminisce about my favourites – US road trips, walks in the Austrian Tirol, Seychellois beaches, Day of the Dead in Mexico, German Christmas markets and past holidays to Peru and Chile.

One thing I’ve done for the first time is click on my Facebook memories. Though I don’t really see much point in reposting old content, it’s been fun to take a look back at where I was on this day in years past. I’ve never much enjoyed November with its grey days and lengthening nights. When I stopped teaching in favour of this new, more flexible life, the first November was spent in New York and Mexico’s Mayan Riviera and I’ve not looked back since.

This time last year, I was exploring the delightful Moroccan city of Chefchaouen feeling anything but blue; the year before I was drinking rum and coke with Nigel Benn’s auntie in Barbados. In 2017, I discovered how varied and pretty Cape Verde was, while four years ago I’d already ticked off my frst German Christmas market with a day trip to Regensburg. This year I’ve been in Essex, but I hope in November 2021 I will be able to report back from somewhere more exotic.